Comparing Prognostic Breast Cancer Tests

Back in the late 2000′s, I heard about the new Oncotype Dx test that was just coming available for women who had early stage breast cancer and could help in the decision making process – whether to chemotherapy or not. The test was supposed to tell your risk of recurrence. That was great news (of course I was not eligible because of my medical history…) and many women found their risk and made the big chemotherapy decision.

New research has looked at the results of these tests and compared them. They looked at these four tests: Oncotype Dx Recurrence Score, PAM50-based Prosigna Risk of Recurrence Score (ROR), Breast Cancer Index (BCI) and EndoPredict (EPclin).

“The analysis, published in JAMA Oncology, funded by Cancer Research UK and involving co-authors at the Institute of Cancer Research, compares four common prognostic tests for breast cancer, and finds that not all are able to accurately predict whether the cancer will return after five years. This could be limiting clinicians’ abilities to advise patients on whether chemotherapy or preventive medication, in the form of endocrine therapy, should be taken.

“If a woman is deemed high risk of recurrence by any test, the benefit of chemotherapy is greatest. In contrast, if a women is deemed low risk then endocrine therapy alone will be sufficient and patients could forego chemotherapy and its side effects.”

Caroline’s Breast Cancer Blog